National Aviary Awarded Power of Light Grant

Pittsburgh, PA – Duquesne Light has awarded a $20,000 Power of Light grant to support the National Aviary’s educational programming throughout the Pittsburgh region. In 2014-2015, the National Aviary will reach over 20,000 children from schools throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“This is an exciting day. Thanks to Duquesne Light, our formal education programs will provide opportunities for students to understand important conservation and environmental concepts through engaging studies of birds from across the globe,” said Patricia O’Neill, Director of Education at the National Aviary. “Every interaction with a child is a chance for us to spark a passion that can lead to a career in science or a lifetime love of animals and the natural world.”

The National Aviary’s STEM-focused school education programs supplement public and private school curriculums, and include an interactive presentation, live bird encounter, and activity-based tours of the exhibits. As a certified program provider, the National Aviary has the skilled instructors, lesson plans and other resources to conduct classroom activities that meet national science standards.

Duquesne Light’s generous support for this educational outreach programming will impact thousands of children and their teachers who can apply the new information they gain about birds, their native habitats, and the environmental pressures they face towoard understanding the role that humans play in creating or mitigating these challenges.

To stay up-to-date with the National Aviary’s educational programs and how they incorporate birds to teach environmental conservation, follow the National Aviary on Facebook www.facebook.com/NationalAviary.

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About the National Aviary

The National Aviary is America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds. Located in West Park on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side, the National Aviary’s diverse collection comprises 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through exhibits create an intimate, up-close interaction between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and to meet many species rarely found in zoos anywhere else in the world. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. For admission rates and more information visit www.aviary.org.